SUNDAY LAWS | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 21, 1881

SUNDAY LAWS.

IN his argument before the Senate of Pennsylvania, Senator Horatio Gates Jones made the following remarks on the Religious Liberty Bill:—

"I cannot take my seat without saying that I verily believe the Sunday law of 1794, which many here seek to uphold, has 'run its race, finished its course, and accomplished as a hireling its day,' to use the expressive words of the Senator from Wayne; for, sir, all thoughtful and intelligent people must admit that the law is not carried out, except in a few cases where Christian people, like Daniel C. Waldo of Crawford county, have been prosecuted by some son of Belial, and fined for following the dictates of their consciences without disturbing the peace of the Commonwealth, or the religious duties of their neighbors. In the latest case on record, that of Mr. Waldo, he has been subjected to heavy costs, because he worked on Sunday, having kept the seventh day as a sacred and holy day, although there was no allegation that this pious, devout Christian man had annoyed his neighbors. But, sir, look at your city passenger cars, look at your great steam railroads which run their trains up and down and through our State without any fine or molestation whatever, although any man engaged on the trains as conductor, brakesman, engineer, or stoker is, under the decisions of our courts, liable to pay a fine or undergo imprisonment under the Sunday law of 1794. Is this right? Is this fair? Is this just? You may, and you do, punish the poor Seventh-day Christian, but you dare not lift your hands or your voices against the corporations for violating the Sunday law of 1794.

"And, sir, if you visit Philadelphia any Sunday, you will see that the Sunday law is openly violated, and no 'Sabbath-breaker,' is arrested or fined or imprisoned. I have been told that the passage of this bill would bring upon our cities and towns the most fearful evils. Well, sir, in reply, permit me to relate an incident which proves the mistake of those who urge such a result. New York has such an exemption law as that now before this body. When application was made by a New York and Massachusetts regiment, which arrived from the inauguration of President Garfield on Sunday morning, to parade up Broadway, with music, to the regimental armory, Superintendent Walling returned answer that the law forbade such processions on Sunday, and the officers cheerfully submitted. Remember that this was in New York, where observers of the seventh day as the Sabbath are exempt from the penalties of the Sunday law of that State. But, sir, on that same Sunday, in Chestnut Street in the city of Philadelphia, in midday, I myself saw the State Fencibles, under the command of Major Ryan, marching to their armory, with music. Senators, these are facts which speak louder than words, and further comment on my part is unnecessary."